Birds are valuable sentinel species in water quality monitoring in the Bay and in programs around the world, including the Great Lakes, the Canadian arctic, and the Baltic Sea. The RMP monitors a broad suite of contaminants in the eggs of Double-crested Cormorants and Forster’s Terns. Eggs are collected on a three-year cycle. The latest round of egg collections occurred this spring. Long-term declines in PBDEs, DDT, and dioxins have been observed. Concentrations of PCBs and PFOS have been highest in the Lower South Bay.
In response to findings from a 2015 Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) Special Study on microplastic pollution in the Bay, the Program has begun to develop a strategy for further microplastic monitoring and science. A SFEI-hosted workshop on June 29th brought together key stakeholders and a panel of scientific experts, including Anna-Marie Cook (USEPA), Dr. Sherri Mason (SUNY Fredonia), and Dr. Chelsea Rochman (UC Davis). The Bay Area Clean Water Agencies and other technical experts also participated.
The State Water Board has invited SFEI's Dr. Rebecca Sutton to present findings on microplastic as part of the Office of Information Management and Analysis (OIMA) Brown Bag Seminar, a monthly webinar series.
The RMP Annual Meeting is held every year in the early fall. The meeting is an opportunity for RMP stakeholders to discuss current RMP projects and highlight interesting new research. The 2015 RMP Annual Meeting will be part of the 12th Biennial State of the Estuary (SOE) Conference.
Agenda for the 2015 RMP Annual Meeting
September 18, 2015
8:30 - 10:00 AM: Early morning SOE plenary on drought issues
Session Title: Future Visions for Estuary Water Quality
